


Incandescent

by fandommatchmaker19



Category: Grey's Anatomy, Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Not Canon Compliant, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:26:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24255838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandommatchmaker19/pseuds/fandommatchmaker19
Summary: After OD-ing and hallucinating his dead best friend, Robert Sullivan calls his other best friend asking for help. Said best friend just happens to be Lucas' twin.And then, Sullivan doesn't manage to warn Vic of the fact.Everything tells Vic and Zach they shouldn't be together, and neither of them wants to, either. But, you can't help who you fall for.
Relationships: Dean Miller/Margaret "Maggie" Pierce, Maya Bishop/Carina DeLuca, Victoria Hughes & Travis Montgomery, Victoria Hughes/Lucas Ripley, Victoria Hughes/Original Character(s)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 35





	1. Feel it All the Way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [madnephelite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/madnephelite/gifts), [Megs (Megs1001)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megs1001/gifts), [Mangobutterfly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mangobutterfly/gifts).



> Long time no see anything written by me in this fandom! But, thankfully I've got a bunch of cheerleaders, and after the lovely M gave me an idea that I meshed with another idea, I came up with this. And, I've got loads of ideas for it, so I hope I'll manage to keep this one going.  
> *Note: This starts somewhere between episodes 3x07 and 3x08 of Station 19  
> **Anyways, little background on Zach (the OC). Zach is Lucas' twin who met Sullivan in the army, then Zach came back and joined the LAFD while Sullivan went to Seattle, and met Lucas in the Academy. Lucas and Zach haven't spoken in years and neither has Jennifer because of something that happened in the past. Sullivan OD-ed again and hallucinated Ripley who told him to call Zach (this will be explained later).   
> Anyways, I think that is all. Enjoy!

Vic wasn’t entirely sure why she was doing this. But, adrenaline from the call was still pumping through her body and providing her with the courage to do what she was about to do.

“This is a bad idea,” she told herself as she approached Sullivan’s house. _What was she even doing? Get a grip, Hughes,_ she told herself. After shift, after leaving Emmett and Travis to do whatever it was they were doing, she’d pulled out her phone. Her thumb had hovered over the name Lucas before reality hit, reminding her that Lucas was dead, that she couldn’t just call him and tell him all about her shift, about how exhilarating it had been, tell him how she’d missed him. She would have teased him about missing out and being stuck with paperwork, and he would say something really cheesy like _the only thing I’m missing out on is you, Eggy. I’ll see you at home._ She would laugh it off and say she’d meet him there, or they would make plans to meet at the diner instead and have eggy thingies and lukewarm coffee. Tears pooled in her eyes, and she blinked them away, refusing to go down that road again. She had more important things to do, or so she told herself.

She reached the door to Sullivan’s, rang the bell, and raised her fist to knock. “Chief, I need to…” But, the words died on her lips when the door opened and a man in an LAFD t-shirt stepped out. Her gaze flew up and she saw blond hair and blue eyes, “Lucas?” she managed to mutter. And then, everything went black.

* * *

“I’ll go get it!” Zach yelled over his shoulder as he descended downstairs, rushing to answer the doorbell. [He’d been at Sullivan’s for the past few days, give or take, ever since his former best friend with whom he hadn’t spoken to in years called him asking for help. Sullivan had sounded both desperate and hesitant on the phone, so Zach hadn’t wasted any time with trying to get any more information, bought himself plane tickets and hopped on a plane to Seattle. He’d shown up to Sullivan’s door and was greeted by a harried-looking Sullivan. Apparently, someone from one of his former fire stations had gotten hurt. But, Zach didn’t care about that, and he’d told Sullivan as much].

_“Look, Bobby, I don’t wanna sound like a dick, but I don’t give a damn about your guy,” he announced. Sullivan glared. “Sorry,” he said drily. “But, I don’t care about some guy from your former firehouse because I care about you. Which, apparently you don’t because you need help,” he remarked, appraising the other man._

_“Man, you sound almost exactly like your brother,” Sully quipped. Zach pursed his lips._

_“I guess I should take that as a compliment,” he quipped, smirking slightly. His former best friend nodded._

_“It’s good to see you, Zach,” Sully smiled tersely._

_“Me, too, Bobby. Me, too,” he smiled. And then, he pulled Sullivan into a tight hug that Sullivan returned._

_When they pulled away, Sully seemed sad. “Wish it were under better circumstances,” he said, chuckling bitterly._

_“Yeah, me too,” he nodded. “Well, buddy, you gonna let me in?” he asked, and Sullivan nodded, ushering him inside._

Whoever was at the door knocked hesitantly, and Zach pulled it open and found a young woman curly brown hair and caramel skin standing in front of him, her hand raised. She wore a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with a black bomber jacket on top, her hair loose, and Zach couldn’t help but check her out.

“Chief, I need to…” she trailed off, her words dying on her lips, and he noticed her chocolate brown eyes glistened with tears. “Lucas,” she muttered so quietly Zach almost didn’t hear her. And then, she collapsed, and Zach only just managed to catch her, thankfully due to his Army and firefighter training.

“On second thought, we might need to delay our plans!” he yelled as he held the woman in his arms. “Sully, get down here! You’ve got a lady caller who just fainted at your door! Should’ve told me you turned into such a ladies’ man,” he remarked as he stood up, the woman still in his arms.

“Oh, shit,” Sullivan said as soon as he saw him. “ _Shit._ _Fuck_ ,” he cursed under his breath. “Well, bring her inside. I’ll get her some water,” he said, and Zach followed after him, setting the young woman on the couch in the living room.

“So, wanna tell me who she is, and what’s she doing fainting in front of your door?” Zach asked as he and Robert stood in Robert’s living room.

“That’s one of my firefighters. Victoria Hughes,” Robert shrugged, still watching the woman.

“And, do you often have one of your firefighters drop by unannounced at your door?” he prodded. Robert was saved from answering by the young woman stirring, and he quickly stepped towards her, handing her the glass of water as she slowly sat up.

“Hughes?” Sully asked, helping her sit up slowly. She still seemed dazed, and her gaze flickered to his before she averted it quickly, focusing on Sully. “Vic, I-” Robert began, but Vic shook her head, and stood up, downing the glass of water.

“No-” she began, but Robert cut her off.

“Vic, let me explain, I owe you-” This time it was she who cut him off, walking towards the door, and not looking at him. She whipped around just before she opened the door.

“No, sir, you don’t owe me anything. I’m gonna go check on Rigo, I’ll see you later. _Sir_ ,” she said shakily before she left, slamming the door behind her. Sully turned around and sighed.

“Don’t look at me like that, man,” he snapped before walking to the kitchen. Zach followed after him.

“So, _sir_ ,” Zach began, smirking slightly. “You want to give me an explanation?” he asked, leaning against the kitchen countertop.

“Nope.”

“Sully,” he sighed, running his hands through his hair. “Honesty is part of the deal,” he reminded his former best friend, and Sully groaned in defeat.

“I told you that’s Victoria Hughes. One of my firefighters. And, she didn’t faint because of me. She fainted because of you,” he said simply, and Zach couldn’t help but stare.

“Me? I mean, I know I’m hot, but not to the point of young firefighters fainting in front of me!” he exclaimed, smirking smugly.

“Zach, don’t be an idiot!” Robert snapped, punching his arm. “She fainted because you look exactly like him.” At his still-confused expression, Robert added, “Victoria Hughes used to be Luke’s fiancée.”

Zach felt like he couldn’t breathe, like the breath had been knocked out of his lungs, and he gripped the countertop tightly. Sully slid a glass of water towards him, and he gulped it down swiftly before returning to his previous position, not moving.

“Zach?” Sully asked slowly, hesitantly.

“ _Fuck,_ ” was all he said before straightening himself. “Let’s go, Bobby. There is someone I want you to meet. A doctor,” he told the other man as he grabbed his jacket. Robert followed him.

“You want me to see a shrink?”

“Nope. Pain specialist. Do you _need_ to see a shrink?” 

“I’m good,” Robert said as the two of them got into his truck. “So, where to?”

“Grey Sloan Memorial,” he said, and Robert drove, the two of them exchanging occasional small talk. [Zach knew it would take a while before he and Robert would go back to being the friends they used to be after Iraq, but he was willing to do this. He’d missed his chance making things right with Luke before he died, but he wasn’t going to miss it with Bobby. Especially, because he needed his help. And, he kind of did, too].

* * *

Vic stumbled out of Sullivan’s house in a daze, shutting the door behind her with force, and made a beeline for her truck. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, like the breath had been knocked out of her lungs, and she felt tears prickle at her eyes. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, memories flooding into her brain, and her emotions were all over the place. Somehow, she managed to get into her truck, but she didn’t turn the key in the ignition, and just sat there, letting out a long, shaky breath. Grief threatened to overwhelm her, but she wasn’t going to let it, at least not in her truck next to Sullivan’s house. She took another deep breath, and turned the key in the ignition, and hit the gas.

She drove around for a while before finally pulling into the parking lot of the diner, and let out a long sigh. It had been a while since she’d been to the dinner, their dinner, and she wasn’t even sure she would be going in. At first, after Lucas had died, she had gone every day, but after telling Cam the truth about Lucas, it felt weird, so she stopped going. Not straightaway, but as the months passed, her visits to the dinner became more and more rare until she stopped going altogether. But, now, after seeing – it was _impossible_ – she made her way to the only place that made sense. Tears pooled into her eyes as she looked out the window at the diner, memories swirling around in her head as she gripped the steering wheeling tightly, trying to get control of her breathing. Her face crumpled, and finally, tears began to fall down, and she let out an anguished sob.

“Damn it!” she sobbed as tears streamed down her face. “Damn it!” she half-screamed, half-sobbed, throwing her hand out angrily. “Damn it, Lucas Ripley how dare you!” she yelled, slamming her hands against the dashboard in anger. More tears continued to stream down her face, and she continued to sob and scream, slamming her hands against the steering wheel and dashboard. She remembered what she’d said to Andy a while ago. _You cry, you wail, you write bad poems, and sob so hard, you puke. You rage at the gods, and you scream into your pillow, and you cry so hard, your knees buckle under you, and you cry so hard, you think your lungs are gonna collapse…_ She’d done all that, but then one day she’d decided she couldn’t do it anymore, that she the pain was too unbearable, and she was drowning in it. So, she’d picked herself up her floor and gone to work and put on a smile, made a joke, and gotten back to being the Vic she was before Lucas Ripley. And, now she had seen _him,_ and all that unbearable pain was back, and all Vic wanted to was to succumb to it. But, she couldn’t yet. She had to do a few things first before she could let the pain in.

Vic ran her fingers under her eyes, wiping away her tears, and hit the gas, deciding she could come back to the diner another day. Instead, she drove to Grey Sloan, and made her way to the waiting room to check on Rigo’s wife and see if anyone else from her shift was there. Rigo had been a dick, but Vic wasn’t going to ignore the fact that he was currently fighting for his life, and he’d been from 19. Firefighters she didn’t know had shown up for Lucas, so the least Vic could do right now was show up for someone from her house.

* * *

It didn’t take long to get to get to Grey Sloan, and they parked in the visitor’s parking lot.

“Let’s go find your pain doctor,” Zach mused, clapping Bobby’s shoulder.

“Pain doctor?”

“She used to work in L.A. and I made friends with her friends when she left. Apparently, she’s become a specialist in pain relief, so she can help you. She also happens to be a neurosurgeon, so…” he trailed off, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Zach, I told you, I’m not interested in surgery. Not when the odds are 50/50,” Robert snapped.

“Okay, okay. Look, maybe she can give you better odds; she’s one of the best. Or, at least she can give you a consult, okay?” he replied, squeezing his shoulders. Firefighters were assembled in the waiting room, along with a man wearing something that resembled a spacesuit. “What’s he wearing?” he mumbled to Sully.

“That’s Ben Warren. Used to be a surgeon, then used to be a firefighter at my station. He went out for Medic One, but that didn’t work out. He now works with the Physician Response Team, which is basically an O.R. on wheels,” Sully shrugged.

“O.R. on wheels? Luke approved that?”

“Nah, this was… this was after Luke. Don’t think he would’ve approved that.” Zach couldn’t help but scoff out a chuckle.

“I can- I can practically see his face…” he said before laughing again. Sully laughed along with him, and then they were laughing together, and for the first time Zach felt relatively normal, like there was a chance for him to at least get one thing – one person – from his old life back. Not unexpectedly, Sullivan was the first one to calm down and stop laughing.

“Okay, we’re in a hospital, stop laughing! Stop laughing!” Sullivan yelled, punching his arms.

“Oh my God!” A familiar voice said behind them. “There’s only one person I know who would be laughing in the middle of a hospital waiting room!”

Zach whipped around, a delighted smile on his face. “Amelia Shepherd!” he exclaimed in greeting. Beside her was a curly haired, caramel-skinned woman who gaped at him in shock. [Zach hoped she wouldn’t faint at the sight of him].

“Oh God! I- I called your time of death! You can’t be…” she gasped, still staring at him.

“Right,” he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. “Well, you most certainly didn’t since I’m standing here in front of you. Alive and living. But, you’re probably mistaking me for Lucas Ripley.” She nodded, clearly still in shock. “He’s my twin.”

“Oh! Oh, God!” she exclaimed once again, and Amelia snickered. Sullivan chuckled beside him.

“Hi there, Doctor Pierce,” he said, smiling slightly.

“Robert,” she greeted, smiling warmly at him.

“I’m Zach, by the way. Zach Ripley,” he said, extending his hand for her to shake. She shook it, and smiled at him.

“And, Bobby, this is Dr. Amelia Shepherd. The doc I wanted you to meet,” he introduced. They shook hands awkwardly.

“Oh?” they asked in unison.

“So, Dr. Pierce how do you know my brother?” he wondered as Amelia and Sullivan whispered quietly about a consult.

“I was his doctor,” the other woman said sadly, and Zach understood immediately.

“Right,” he muttered.

“I’m really sorry for your loss,” she said softly. He nodded in thanks. Then, he glanced back at Amelia.

“Okay, Dr. Shepherd, care to explain that bun you’re cooking?” he asked, gesturing at her rather large belly.

“Oh, this,” Amelia smiled, a real smile that he hadn’t seen in a while. “I’m pregnant,” she announced. “It’s a boy.”

“Oh, that’s- that’s so wonderful!” he exclaimed, delighted. “So, who’s the lucky baby daddy? Is it the Owen guy Addie was talking about?” he asked, pulling her closer.

The two doctors exchanged a look. “Oh, no. Owen and I are divorced. This baby is Link’s. My boyfriend’s – well, actually my ex boyfriend’s? Well, I kind of have a paternity issue. It’s- well, it’s a situation,” she explained nervously. Maggie scoffed.

“A situation? Do we need to talk about it?” he wondered, looking at her curiously.

“Uh, not right now,” she said, shaking her head.

“Right. Well, okay. Now, come here, mama, let me give you a hug!” he exclaimed, and reached to pull Amelia into a hug. She hugged him back, squeezing him tightly. “By the way,” he said as he released her, “I love what you did with your hair,” he told her and she laughed.

A pager beeped, “it’s mine. I gotta go. I’ll see you later!” Maggie said to Amelia. “It was good seeing you both,” she told him and Sullivan before rushing off. Then, Zach saw Vic, and he attempted to make eye contact. Once she spotted him, she ran in another direction.

“Well, Robert, I’ve got a couple of free minutes, why don’t we have a chat in my office?” Amelia said. Surprisingly, his friend agreed, and the two of them left him there. Zach sighed, and ran a hand through his hair before going the same way Vic had gone.

He found her outside, sitting on a bench, a cup of coffee in her hand. He sat down beside him, and she flinched, moving away from him.

“I watched you die!” she exclaimed, half-sobbing. “I watched you die in my arms and now, you- you can’t be here, Lucas!” she yelled tearfully.

“Victoria,” he said slowly, calmly. “Please calm down.”

“Don’t you dare to tell me to calm down!” she snapped, her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t you dare tell me to calm down, Lucas Ripley! Not when you died in my arms almost nine months ago, and-” she was cut off by his hand on her shoulder. Zach did his best to ignore how soft her skin was as his thumb brushed against her jaw.

“Victoria, please. Let me explain,” he said slowly, and she nodded, sniffling. “I- I’m not Lucas. My name is Zach Ripley. Lucas Ripley is- was my twin,” he said, and she tilted her head to meet his gaze, her own eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry,” he added.

“Oh… Oh! You’re- oh! I am so sorry,” she said, shaking her head, still sniffling. She reached to wipe her tears away with her hand. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s just- you look exactly like him!” she said in a shaky voice.

“Yeah, I know,” he muttered. “And, you have no idea how sorry I am that I’m not him,” he added quietly. “He was a good man,” he added, and Victoria’s face crumpled, and she started to cry, quiet, heart wrenching sobs, and he reached for her, pulling her to him. He held her for a while as she broke down, crying for Lucas, and Zach was suddenly filled with irrational anger at his brother for dying and leaving this woman – _Victoria_ – behind. [He knew it was stupid and irrational to be angry at his brother – his _dead_ brother – for this, but he couldn’t help it]. “I’m so sorry,” he muttered quietly instead.

Eventually, Victoria’s sobs subsided, and she pulled herself together. She scooted back, and stood up putting as much distance between them as she could.

“I, uh, thank you. I- I’m sorry,” she mumbled, her voice still shaking, and turned around, walking back into the hospital.

Zach’s phone pinged with a text from Amelia. 

“Meeting?” it said. He typed back an affirmative response, and stood up, walking back into the hospital.


	2. O Captain, My Captain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach's first day at the SFD, plus which station does he go to. After a particularly rough call, Zach runs into Vic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Note: Flashbacks are in italics.  
> So, this follows the events of 3x08 roughly, though I made it so more time passed between 3x07 and 3x08, and obviosuly, the ending changed. I'm a bit meh about the ending, I'm not sure I got the feels right, but I hope you enjoy!

A few days later, Zach entered the Seattle Fire Department headquarters, and sighed, running a hand through his already-tousled curls as he pivoted before his eyes spotted the memorial wall to one side, and he froze, his eyes locked on a certain picture. _Fire Chief Lucas Ripley. November 15, 1975 – May 3, 2019._ He gulped as he stared at the picture of Luke in his dress uniform, smiling proudly in front of the flag.

“Best chief Seattle FD ever had,” a woman’s voice said from behind him, and he turned to find a woman, probably in her 50s, her auburn hair pulled in a bun. Upon seeing him, her eyes widened, “well, damn, you’re like his carbon copy,” she added, surprised.

“Well, that is what being a twin means,” he shrugged, smirking slightly. “Zach Ripley, ma’am,” he introduced himself, extending his hand. She put hers in his.

“Battalion Chief Deborah Frankel,” she said, shaking his hand firmly. “Nice to meet you,” she added. “Follow me,” she ordered, and he followed silently after her until they reached a conference room. She nodded, and he sat down across from her.

“Ma’am,” he muttered, bobbing his head in a nod.

“Right, let’s just cut to the chase. I oversee ten stations, and I don’t have time for your life story. I spoke to your Chief in L.A., and he spoke very highly of you,” she told him, not wasting any time.

“Nice of him,” he muttered, causing Frankel to raise her eyebrows. [Zach got the distinct impression she wasn’t a fan of sarcasm, and just nodded]. “Sorry. Thanks, ma’am.”

“Right. You were a captain in L.A. at station 100 there, right?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well, then, you’ll be captain here. And, it just so happens that it’s your lucky day because you get to pick your station. Seattle FD is divided in five battalions – that’s me, Chief Sullivan, Chief Cooke, Chief Sato and Chief Diaz; trust me, I enjoy the boy’s club just about as much as anyone,” she tells him, grumbling on the last part. “Each battalion is divided into fire stations, and mine used to be a dozen, but Dixon made some changes. I’m the chief of battalion 7 and I oversee stations 7, 32, 40, 41, 42, 23, 81, 88, 12 and 66. My office is over at 32. I used to oversee 19 and 71, but Chief Dixon gave them to Sullivan,” she recounted, the distaste obvious at the end. Zach merely nodded. “Anyways, I’ve been trying to clean up my battalion a little, but it’s a department-wide pain in the ass,” she shrugged. “We’ve got a bunch of really good stations – 7, 12, 66, 32, 19 – though that one has seen some issues recently – and, some not so good stations. Forty-two wasn’t bad until last year.” At this, Zach perked up.

“What happened?”

“Ted Conlin, the captain over at 42, has been having trouble. He, uh, he was the guy Rip saved when he went back into that coffee plant. Conlin lived, Rip with his heart condition…” she trailed off sadly, and Zach’s gaze flickered to hers. “Obviously, Conlin has been dealing with survivor’s guilt; he’s been in and out of therapy ever since, but it’s reflecting poorly on the team. Lieutenant Cook returned to duty almost a month after the coffee plant fire, and he’s been trying to lighten the load for Conlin, but as you can imagine…” she sighed. “So, obviously 42 needs some reshuffling, a proper captain, maybe a second lieutenant. Then, we’ve got 88, they’re alright, just in need of a new captain; that was Rip’s station when he was lieutenant,” Zach nodded numbly, his stomach twisting painfully, and he already knew he wasn’t going to 88. And then, we’ve got 23. Pretty standard issue of can’t keep a captain, or lieutenant, team’s a bit messy, slow response times etc.” Frankel sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “So, three stations that, considering your recommendations, I will be happy to put you in. Take your pick.”

Zach sighed, “not going to 88; it was Rip’s station, I don’t need the reminder, and the station doesn’t either,” he told her. Before Zach could continue, the door burst open to reveal a dark-skinned man, probably his age, followed by an alarmed-looking young woman.

“Battalion Chief Frankel, ma’am, I’m sorry-” the young woman began, but Frankel waved her off, and she scurried out of the room. Ted Conlin, on the other hand, stepped in, his attention mostly on Frankel before his gaze snapped over to him, and he did a double take.

“Sweet Jesus,” he gasped, obviously shocked, and Zach wondered if he would faint, have a panic attack, or worse.

“Captain Conlin,” Frankel cut in, stepping towards him, but it was Zach who finally managed to break the silence.

“Sorry to disappoint you, mate, but I’m not Lucas risen from the dead. Name’s Zach Ripley, I’m Lucas’ twin,” he informed him, smiling slightly.

“Oh. Right, err, nice meeting ya,” he stammered as Zach extended his hand. Conlin shook it firmly.

“Likewise,” he replied with a curt nod.

“Captain Conlin, what did you want that couldn’t wait till later?” Frankel demanded, clearly irritated. “Captain Ripley and I were having an important conversation,” she added, giving him an unimpressed look.

“Captain- I, uh, Chief Frankel I need to talk to you about my position as captain of forty-two,” he began nervously. Zach swallowed thickly.

“Actually, I was just talking to Captain Ripley about the situation,” Frankel said.

Zach cleared his throat, “Captain Conlin, Battalion Chief Frankel, ma’am, may I?” Frankel nodded. “I don’t want to take over station 42, ma’am. Listen, Conlin. I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. But, my brother went back into that factory to save your ass, and gave you another chance, so don’t waste it, alright? Don’t waste it by being a shitty captain, use it to be a good captain, and take care of your team,” he said firmly. When Conlin said nothing, Zach stepped closer, pursing his lips, “Your team trusts you, they know you, they’re not gonna trust an outsider who looks like the former Chief. Look, man, my brother saved you because he was a good man who cared about every firefighter in this department. Least you could do is not screw your station up,” he snapped more seriously. Frankel pursed her lips.

“Captain Ripley,” she interjected, and he closed his mouth, bobbing his head. “That’s enough. But, thank you for your insight. He’s right, Conlin. Look, I gave you time, gave you the opportunity for therapy, but you can’t keep fucking up, leaving it to Cook to pick up the pieces! Either fix it, or quit, but don’t come crying to me, I’m a battalion chief, not a babysitter! If you really want to quit, you have every right to do so, but I sure as hell hope you don’t. You’re a damn good captain, and my friend did not run into that damn coffee plant to save your ass and give you a second chance, so you can waste it!” she snapped, scowling, and crossed her arms. “Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll, uh, I’ll do better,” Conlin stammered nervously, his gaze flickering rapidly between Frankel and himself. Zach didn’t say anything.

“Now, if you’ll excuse us, Captain Ripley and I had something to discuss,” Frankel added, and Conlin nodded.

“Have a good day, ma’am,” Conlin said before turning around and leaving.

Frankel shook her head in exasperation, “see what I’ve got to deal with? Not to mention the current Chief who is a homophobic, racist, sexist asshole who cares more about PR than running the damn department,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes. “I apologize. In any case, I hope what you said to Conlin has some effect,” she added. “Now, since you said no to 88 and 42, you get to go to 23, which is a pain in my ass most of the time. I hope you know how to clean house, Ripley,” Frankel said before launching into an account of station 23 and its many problems, and Zach merely listened patiently. “Right, now for uniform,” Frankel said, standing up. “I’ll be back,” she said before exiting the room, leaving Zach alone with his own thoughts.

Frankel returned soon enough, holding a box in her hands. “I have your uniform here, nice of your chief to give me a heads up,” she smirked, setting the box onto the conference table.

“Thanks, Chief,” he nodded, standing up.

“I also have this,” she said, shuffling through the box before pulling what looked like neatly folded turnouts, and he saw the name Ripley on them. “These were Lucas Ripley’s turnouts,” she added slowly, and Zach froze.

“Ma’am?”

“I- I know you never got to say goodbye, and I know things were rocky between you two, but I think you should have this,” she said somberly, and Zach let out a deep breath. “Look, Rip never went into what happened between you two, and I never really asked. But, I know that at the end, he forgave you. And, he’d want you to have something of his. Jennifer and Victoria divided some of his belongings, but his turnouts stayed with the department. Should fit you,” Frankel added, and Zach blinked back tears as he reached for it, grasping it tightly with his fingers.

He took a deep, shuddery breath, “thank you, Chief Frankel,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

“Welcome to Seattle FD, Captain Ripley,” she said, extending her hand. He shook it, and nodded.

“Thank you,” he repeated. Then, he put the turnouts in the box and grabbed the box.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to your new team. You’d be getting there during A-shift, but I also made a call for the other shifts, so you can introduce yourself,” Frankel told him, moving towards the door. Before she could open it, Zach decided that it was now or never.

“Ma’am?” he asked as he reached for his wallet and pulled out his 9-month AA chip.

“Yes?”

“There is- there is something you should know. I plan to tell the team as well,” he said as he handed her the chip. “I’m a recovering alcoholic. Would’ve been three years, but nine months ago I reset the clock,” he pursed his lips nervously. “It was- I, uh, I’d just gotten back from the wildfires – short break – when I found out Luke died. Chief called me into his office. I- I have many regrets, but none more than not asking my brother for forgiveness one more time, and I- I fell off the wagon,” he let out a deep breath as soon as he finished, though he couldn’t quite look at Frankel. There was a long pause, and an almost deafening silence settled between them.

“Captain,” she barked, then cleared her throat. “Ripley,” she said more kindly, “look at me.”

Finally, he looked up and met her gaze. “Yes?”

“Thank you for telling me, that is nothing to be ashamed of, understood? As far as I’m concerned, you’re a damn good firefighter, and you’ll make an excellent captain. There’s AA meetings in Seattle and sponsors. And, if you ever need help, or a day off, or someone to talk to, give me a call,” she said pulling out a simple business card with the emblem of the SFD and her rank. “I come off as abrasive, but I like to think I’m not entirely heartless. And, your brother was a good friend,” she added pointedly. He nodded in thanks, and she handed him the chip. “Keep it,” she nodded, and Zach put it back into his wallet before pocketing it.

Frankel opened the door, and Zach followed after to the parking lot. “You got a car?”

“Sully gave me his,” he said. “I’ll follow?”

* * *

After finding out that the man she’d thought was Lucas returned from the dead was actually his brother, Vic had done everything in her power to forget about the ordeal and pretend everything was fine. She went over to Jackson’s and attempted to distract herself with sex, but that didn’t quite work, then she went over to Dean’s and found out that JJ had left him and Baby TBD, whom Dean had named Pruitt Arike Miller, or Pru for short. The baby was adorable, and provided a better distraction than her sort-of boyfriend, and Vic even slept over one evening, taking the night crying shift since poor Dean, who looked like a walking zombie. She’d also visited Rigo and Eva, who was out of surgery, and brought them food and coffee, but she didn’t really linger around the hospital in case she would run into the ghost of her dead fiancé.

And, of course there was drinking involved, and even though Travis gave her odd looks, she tried to ignore him. [She’d been terrible friend to Travis lately, but Travis would be able to see through her, and Vic wasn’t ready for that particular wakeup call]. Thankfully, their next shift arrived at last, so Vic could distract herself with work, and calls never stopped, which Vic was both thankful for, and exhausted by. After a three-hour nap after they’re last call, Vic followed everyone in the kitchen where various boxes of cereal and cartons of milk were on the counter. She grabbed her coffee and put her muesli and fruits in her bowl, and plopped down in the seat beside Jack, pouring skim milk over the cereal.

“Is this the longest shift ever?” Travis wondered with a groan as he was getting his own cereal.

“Yeah,” Vic agreed, groaning as she sipped her coffee and ate her cereal.

Andy echoed her, “yup. And, ready for it to be over,” she said as she took a seat across from Vic, on Jack’s other side. Travis plopped down beside Vic while Emmett, or probie as everyone tended to call him stood up from the table, carrying his bowl to the sink.

“Aren’t they all 24 hours?” he asked, confused, causing everyone, including Finch, the guy from B-shift filling in for Rigo to look at him in annoyance. [Vic felt slightly bad for probie, after all, they had all once been probies, but it was a sort of tradition. Her team, her family, had changed slightly, there were cracks, and she wondered sometimes if they would ever be how they once were].

“Cereal?” Maya demanded entering the kitchen and taping something to the fridge. She seemed tense, and it reminded Vic of Lucas and how tense he would sometimes be after coming to her place – their place – from a scene. [Though with Lucas, she usually managed to relax him in very spicy ways; Vic doubted it would work for Maya].

“Sorry, Princess,” Finch snapped, causing everyone to look over at him, “didn’t feel like whipping up omelets this morning.” Everyone’s attention was now on Finch, and all of those sat at the table glared at him. Maya didn’t say anything, and just busied herself with the cereal.

“Hey, Finch,” Vic piped up defensively, “you know you’re a sub, and subs don’t talk?”

“Since when?” he asked from where he was sitting at the counter. 

“Since you became a sub,” she retorted as she sipped on her coffee.

“Meal rotation for Vasquez’s wife,” Maya announced, tapping the paper she’d taped to the fridge. Now, Vic could see the paper was a spreadsheet, and she pursed her lips as an awkward silence settled in the kitchen. Andy looked to Jack, Travis ate his cereal, and probie busied himself washing his dishes. Vic glanced over at Jack.

“Warren says he’s stable,” Jack said tensely, “thank God.” Finch stood up abruptly, and Jack averted his gaze.

“Hughes, you’re on desk duty for the rest of the shift!” Maya, or rather, Captain Bishop announced.

“I’m what now?” she asked while eating a spoonful of cereal.

“The rocket incident hit the news. We have citizens calling in every lose hubcap they find, thinking they have evidence of an alien invasion. I need someone smart with people skills to talk them down,” she said.

The annoyed remark Vic was prepared to make in protest of desk duty died on her lips, “well, if you’re going to be all complimentary about it… fine. I’ll do it,” she said, none too thrilled.

Maya nodded, grabbing her coffee, and called for Finch.

Vic turned to the others, and in particular Travis, who was trying hard not to laugh.

“What? I don’t know what you think is funny,” she said. The rest of them continued to eat breakfast.

“I would give someone ten million dollars to disable the alarm for the rest of our shift,” Andy mused.

“I don’t know,” Travis shook his head as he stood from the table. “We’re really close. I think we’re gonna make it.”

Vic smirked, “you better not jinx it,” she quipped. Andy snorted while Jack continued to eat his cereal, looking between her and Travis amused.

As if on cue, the klaxon sounded. “Engine 19, Ladder 19, Aid 19,” Dispatch announced, “vehicle accident at 7780 Morris Road.” Andy glared at Travis as her and Jack stood up from the table.

“Yeah, there you go!” Vic cheered, raising her hands and imitating the siren while everyone else scrambled out of the room, grumbling something intelligible. She then stood up to clean the dishes, then she would get changed into her uniform and go man the desk.

* * *

His first shift at station 23 ended up being fairly busy, and by the end Zach was exhausted. Frankel had introduced him to the team, and after she had left he’d told them the truth, or at least as much as he was required, about his sobriety. [In L.A. it had taken a while for him to trust his team, but he figured that he might as well start fresh in Seattle]. Station 23 was made up mostly of men, they had only one woman on C-shift, and Zach had announced that he would do some shuffling around. Frankel had promised him a lieutenant, but Zach had also requested that it would help to have someone experienced from another station to come in temporarily. Frankel had told him it could be arranged as long as the other station agreed. Most of night had been spent at an apartment fire, followed by a call at a residential break in – the thief had fallen over the balcony and had needed medical assistance. But, they’d all managed to get back around 04:00 and get some sleep.

“Morning, Cap,” David Mayhorn, one of the firefighters who had been with 23 for three and a half years, greeted as he entered.

“Good morning, David,” Zach greeted him amicably as he busied himself with the pancakes.

“Captains don’t usually cook,” O’Brian said, entering the kitchen not long after Mayhorn.

“Well, this captain does,” he smiled as he flipped the pancakes. The rest of the team entered the kitchen and piled pancakes on their plates, pouring copious amounts of maple syrup over them. Zach grabbed his own pancakes and coffee, and joined them. The atmosphere at the table wasn’t particularly tense, or awkward, though Zach could sense that the team wasn’t fully at ease around him, which he didn’t mind. They were done with breakfast, and he called morning line up after they all changed into uniforms when the klaxon sounded.

“Engine 23, Ladder 23, Aid 23,” Dispatch announced. “Vehicle accident at 7780 Morris Road, station 19 responded and is requesting additional units!”

“Let’s move!” he bellowed as he grabbed his turnouts and helmet and climbed into the captain’s seat. The team scrambled to get in as quick as possible, with Mayhorn hopping in the driver’s seat.

“Station 23,” the Dispatch person, a woman judging by the voice, said through the radio.

“Come in, dispatch.”

“Ladder 19 reported a TC. Pickup truck versus multiple motorcycles with at least seven victims. They’re anticipating multiple fatalities. They’ve requested that engine and ladder approach from the south on Morris Lake Road where Ladder 19 is situated at Morris Lake Road Incident Command. Aid Cars approach from the north end near Aid 19,” she instructed.

“Captain Ripley station 23, copy that, dispatch,” he replied, then clicked the radio off. “Heffington, O’Brian approach from north side of Morris Lake Road and park next to Aid 19! Mayhorn, go from south side of Morris Lake Road, Incident Command is Ladder 19,” he ordered.

“Copy that, Captain,” O’Brian said into the radio. He could see the scene and that station 19 was already there. Mayhorn swerved abruptly, and began approaching from the south end of Morris Lake Road.

He and the others hopped out of the engine and ladder, and were met by the station 19 captain. An average-height woman with blonde hair, who began barking orders without glancing at them.

“Captain Bishop, station 19, incident command. Engine 23, I need a staging area and treatment area. Ladder 23, find any critical victims we haven’t located,” she ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Captain Ripley, station 23. Just transferred from LAFD,” he said, and she nodded at him. He wondered if his resemblance to Lucas had registered with her, but figured she was either masking her shock really well, or hadn’t even noticed. Then, he turned to his team. “Right, Mayhorn, Parker and O’Connell go do the staging and treatment areas. “Hunter, Kenner and I are going to look for more victims,” he ordered. “Heffington and O’Brian are with Aid Car.”

While everyone dispersed, he and Bishop approached the wrecked car.

“I’m getting muffled heart sounds. Dude’s toast,” someone from 19 whose turnouts indicated as Montgomery said.

“How did this happen?” he wondered, though he had a pretty good idea.

“Drunk driver,” Bishop said, and Zach tensed immediately, his mind flooded with memories. He curled his fists, and squeezed his eyes shut for a second, willing the memories away.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

“Finch, swap out with Dixon!” Bishop barked authoritatively.

“What?” the firefighter in question – Finch – asked in shock. “You want Probie on this?” Now the shock made sense, but Zach wasn’t going to comment on Bishop’s leadership.

“Bishop, that’s really rough to do to someone on a f-first shift,” Montgomery stammered, but Bishop fixed both men with a glare.

“O Captain, my Captain,” Finch said in a sing-sing voice, accepting defeat.

Bishop turned to him, looking flustered for the first time since they’d all arrived.

“I’m sorry, you, uh, you look like- you look like the former Chief. Chief Ripley,” she said slowly, stammering.

“Yeah, I should hope so,” he grinned. “He was my twin brother.”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks, Bishop,” he said, smiling tensely. They shook hands briefly before he left to join Hunter and Kenner in locating more victims.

“Engine 23, assist Engine 19 with patient care south side of Morris Lake Road,” Bishop ordered through the radio.

“Hunter! Kenner! With me,” he ordered and raced over to where the incident commander had indicated. “Grab the ladder, guys!”

Two lieutenants from 19 were already there, one with someone who looked to be pinned under a motorcycle while the other one indicated for them to join.

“Captain Zach Ripley from 23,” he introduced himself.

“Lieutenant Jack Gibson. 19. That’s Lieutenant Herrera. Also 19,” the man said. “Wait. Ripley?” he turned to him.

“Yup. Lucas Ripley was my twin brother,” he said by way of explanation. “So, what do we have here?” he asked, not wanting to dwell on the fact for long.

“Woman got thrown off her husband’s bike. Landed in the tree. We need to get her down,” Gibson reported.

“Alright, Gibson. Hunter, Kenner position the ladder. Hunter, climbed a tree recently?” the firefighter shook his head. “Go get her. Kenner, keep the ladder steady. Gibson and I will be right here. Zach watched as Hunter climbed up the ladder and reached the patient.

“Gibson, which one’s the husband?” he asked, wanting to know how loud he could speak.

“Pinned under the motorcycle. Herrera’s working on him. He’s, uh, probably aware,” the lieutenant muttered.

“Right,” Zach sighed as he watched Hunter descended down the ladder, the patient in his arms.

“Pulse?” he asked quietly once the other man had lowered himself and the patient. Hunter shook his head as he handed her to Gibson.

“Alright, let’s start compressions,” he said as Gibson lowered the victim onto the ground and kneeled down to start the compressions.

The husband was worried, and Zach pursed his lips as he watched Gibson press on the woman’s chest, though it was probably to no avail.

“We got this, buddy!” another man called out. “Lisa is gonna be fine. May be a few months before we make the Williamsburg trip, but we’ll make it,” he said, trying to reassure his friend.

“She doesn’t even like to ride. I was like ‘we’ve been married for twenty years. Half of my friends in the club think I’ve made you up.’”

“My partner’s got her,” Lieutenant Herrera told him. “They’re taking care of her.”

“She’s okay?” the man asked, and Zach felt his blood run cold.

_“What’s your name?” the paramedic asked as she put the C-collar around him. Zach felt like he was dying, and everything hurt._

_“Zach,” he panted. “Wait. Jennifer. My sister. She was in the car. Is she okay?” he asked, and he felt like crying._

_“Yes. Paramedics are taking care of her. She’s going to be fine,” the paramedic said._

_“And- and my parents?” he asked, his throat raw. “My mom Lisa and my dad Will- are they- are they okay?” he demanded. The paramedic looked up, probably in the direction of where others were working on his parents._

_“They’re working on them, don’t worry. They’re taking care of them. And, I’m taking care of you,” she told him before turning to someone to bark orders. He was already in the back of the ambulance._

_“They’re okay?” he asked, panting slightly._

_“Yeah, they’re okay.”_

_Of course, they hadn’t been as the accident had killed both of them almost on impact. But, he thought they were._

“She’s okay, Nate,” Herrera confirmed. Zach felt sick, and his heart was beating rapidly in his chest as images of that night flashed in his mind. He curled his fists, and tried to will those images away, but as his gaze drifted around the carnage, it only got worse.

“Oh, thank God,” the man – Nate – said, relieved. “Lisa! If you can hear me, I love you!” he called out, and Zach’s chest constricted painfully. Gibson called time of death.

“PRT from Engine 19, what’s your twenty?” Herrera radioed.

“On your 6:00,” the man from the hospital said as he approached with his partner, both of them wearing those ridiculous-looking suits. As they began working on the victims, Bishop radioed him and his team, so they went back to Incident Command.

* * *

The team had decided to go to Joe’s after shift, and Vic was on her way to join them after another attempt at going to the diner. [This time she’d just sat in her car, staring, though no tears came. Maybe she’d cried all her tears the last time]. As she approached Joe’s she noticed a man standing in front of it, looking like he was about to go in, though he made no move to do so.

“You gonna go in?” she wondered.

“Sorry?” the man turned and Vic saw it was Zach. He looked like hell, his blonde curls messy like he’d run his hands through them multiple times and his blue eyes weary.

“You look like hell. Could probably use a drink. You gonna go in?” she asked, repeating her earlier question.

“No, I- I can’t go in,” he sighed, and took a step back.

“Oh,” she sighed, and wondered what he meant. They stood there for several seconds, neither of them saying anything before Vic made up her mind. “You hungry?” she asked him.

“Kind of, yeah, I suppose,” Zach shrugged nervously.

“Wanna go get breakfast?” she suggested, smiling slightly at him. She’d pulled her hair up and was wearing skinny jeans and her favorite green t-shirt and black leather jacket. “I know a place,” she added.

“With you?” Zach asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Uh, yeah? Sure. I was going to get breakfast, or lunch. Brunch, I guess. I like company when I eat. You could be company,” she smirked at him, and he chuckled. “I won’t bite, promise,” she added in encouragement. Zach nodded, and stepped closer to her.

“Alright. Let’s go,” he agreed.

“C’mon, my truck’s parked not too far away,” she said, and led him to her red truck.

She drove to a breakfast place she’d tried once with Lucas – to diversify their options – though they ended up sticking to their diner. [Vic wasn’t ready to go back to the diner by herself, and definitely not with someone who looked like Lucas risen from the dead. She was sure it would give Cam the manager a heart attack. Plus, Vic wasn’t going to share the diner].

They settled at a booth and ordered breakfast – an English breakfast for Zach, and French toast for herself. It was fancier than the diner breakfasts she and Lucas used to have – eggy thingies for her and a bagel for him, but Vic didn’t care.

“So, rough shift?” she asked him after the waiter had returned with their coffees.

“Uh, yeah. First shift in Seattle, actually,” Zach said, taking a long sip of his coffee.

“I, uh, I wasn’t at the scene, but my team told me about it. It’s horrible,” she sighed sadly, and met his blue eyes. His eyes were what she would call Ripley blue, an intense, yet calming shade of blue that all three Ripleys seemed to have – Lucas, Jennifer, and now, Zach.

“It was- it was horrible. Brought up a lot, too,” he sighed, though it didn’t seem like he would say anything more. “Things from my past, things I thought I’d pushed away,” he said hesitantly, and Vic could sense he wasn’t an open kind of person. “Why weren’t you there anyways?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Oh, uh, because I’m smart and have great people skills,” she grinned cheekily, and Zach snorted just as their food arrived.

“You mean you got put on desk duty?” he asked as they both tucked into their food. Vic just shrugged.

“Wasn’t that bad. I learned that people think people with red hair are aliens,” she said, chuckling. Zach chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement, and it reminded Vic, briefly, of Lucas and how sometimes his whole face would light up. [Usually, she didn’t think she was being that funny, but seeing Lucas laugh like that, she didn’t mind]. Vic kicked herself, and tried to steer her thoughts away from Lucas, though the task was easier said than done when Lucas’ clone was in front of her.

“That’s- that’s so weird,” Zach said, his eyebrows furrowed. She chuckled again, and he laughed too, and then both of them were laughing at how ridiculous it was, and Vic’s sides hurt because she hadn’t laughed like that in ages.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she panted, as she tried to calm herself while holding her sides. Finally, both of them calmed down. “We were talking about the scene, then this- I’m sorry, that was very insensitive,” she sighed, though her cheeks still hurt from laughing.

“It was a rough shift, but it was alright. The team’s, well, not too bad,” he began, and Vic perked up, curious as to which station he’d been transferred to.

“So, which station are you at? Or, are you a battalion…” she trailed off, and took a bite of her French toast.

“Station 23,” he said, and she snorted, almost spitting out her coffee.

“Victoria?”

“Station 23? Damn, you got dealt a bad hand,” she said in an almost sing-song voice. “Station 23 is the worst. The people there are lazy slugs. It’s where the slugs of the department go to become more slug-like. I feel bad for you, I do,” she told him, slightly shocked.

“Ouch,” Zach said, and hurt was clear in his features, though Vic didn’t think it was for real. “I’m hurt. I’m offended. I’m the captain,” he told her, sounding mock hurt. Vic’s eyes widened.

“The captain? Seriously?” she asked, bewildered. Zach nodded, then proceeded to tell her how he’d ended up at 23, and she leaned in attentively. There was something about him that pulled her in, something that made her want to listen to him, and something that told her that beneath his cocky, joking exterior there was something painful, almost broken in Zach Ripley. Vic knew this was a bad idea, but then her bad ideas sometimes turned into fantastic ideas. Besides, Zach Ripley, despite all the ways he reminded her of Lucas, wasn’t really like Lucas. Zach was everything Lucas was not, and somehow that particular fact relieved the pain he brought with himself.

“So, you came here from LA?” she asked after he’d finished telling her about his first shift with 23. [He made them sound okay, and not as bad as Vic knew them to be. And, they sounded like they got along, which was more than Vic could say for her own team].

“Yup. LAFD. Captain at station 100,” he grinned proudly, and began telling her about his former station, that proud look in his eyes returned, and Vic couldn’t help but smile, completely captured by his Ripley blue eyes.


End file.
